C. S. Lewis wrote The Great Divorce with the intent of
portraying the inevitable consequences of day-to-day behaviors. A constant
theme flowing through the pages of this book was, “Evil can be undone, but it
cannot ‘develop’ into good.” (TGD pg. VIII) No length of time will make
it go away, however if evil is unwound like a ball of yarn, piece by piece it
can be undone and turned to good. Lewis expressed his feelings concerning false
faith and things of that sort. He also critiqued the culture and art of that
time. There were also individuals and people criticized. He included all this
in his engaging fantasy about one man’s trip through Heaven and Hell.
The
protagonist was first met on a rainy afternoon at a bus stop. There was a vast
variety of people present. Some seemed to be irritable while some seem eager to
please others. A few appeared to be restless and ready to pick a fight. Then
the bus pulled up, it shone with a blazing golden glow that was unimaginable.
The driver himself had an air of authority and light shining through him. Once
in the bus they flew off and soon came to the grey town otherwise known as the
valley of the shadow of death. There was something peculiar about the town, it
was covered with houses as far as the eye can see, but it was sparsely
populated. The people of this town were incredibly quarrelsome. Within
twenty-four hours neighbors would move away from each other, and the cycle
continues forever. In this town the people do not have any needs because one
only has to think of something and it is there. However, nothing is real. A
house could be there but it could not keep out rain. It is a spiritual city. “When
the daylight comes, comes in the light.’ And that passion for ‘real’
commodities which our friends speak of is only materialism, you know. It’s
retrogressive. Earth-bound! A hankering for matter.” (TGD pg. 16) This quote
reveals how one got a taste of something real such as light; it puts a desirous
feeling in a person to crave material positions.
After the
bus riders left the city they came to beautifully indescribable and large
expanse, this country was known as the valley of the shadow of life. “It made
solar system seem indoor”. (TGD pg. 20) Also everything there brought the word
solid to a new level because everything they had previously known to be solid
now seemed a poor substitute for the solid of this land. Once the people on the
bus got off they all seemed like phantoms or smudges on a painting. They were
like “man shaped stains on the brightness of the air”. (TGD pg. 20) The flowers
seemed to have the strength or hardness as diamonds. Even the leaves were
unable to be picked up. Then the bright beings that were strong, solid, and
smooth skinned came up to meet the ghost like people who shook in terror. A
being went up to each person it was someone which they had known that had past
on. They talked to the ghosts about their lives and things they needed to
adjust. Some listened and followed the beings while others went back to the
grey town. The ones who went into the mountains became solid over time. Once
they became solid they could travel throughout the country and up into the deep
Heaven or mountains with ease.
The man’s
teacher, George McDonald said, “Ye cannot know eternal reality by a
definition. Time itself, and all acts and events that fill Time, are the
definition, and it must be lived.” (TGD pg. 141) This quote expresses that one
cannot explain or interpret eternal reality with words; instead they have to
live it out. His teacher then told him that he had yet to make those decisions
and that he was in a dream. After that he woke up in a cold room with the clock
striking three o’clock.
In this
engaging fable, Lewis incorporated his feelings concerning false faith. “One
will say he has always served his country right or wrong; and another that he
has sacrificed everything to his art.” (TGD pg. 70) This example of a false
faith was extreme patriotism. This can be a false faith because if someone feels very strongly
about their country and will do anything for it, it can become an obsession.
One could even go to the extent of worshiping their nation’s leader. Also, some
people serve their country whether or not it was morally right or not. Another
form of false faith acknowledged in this book is self-love. The main fault of
this choice of religion or belief was that it was usually to the disadvantage
of others. Another false religion was art. Art can become an idol or an object
of worship when one puts all of their time, energy, and money into it. Lust
cannot as easily become a religion because, “Lust is a poor, weak, whimpering,
whispering thing compared with that richness and energy of desire which will
arise when lust has been killed.” (TGD pg. 114) It just sneaks its way into
people’s lives.
Lewis
critiqued the culture of his time. He talked about communism and capitalism,
stating that, “Capitalism did not merely enslave the workers, it also vitiated
taste and vulgarized intellect: hence our educational system and hence the lack
of ‘Recognition’ for new genius.” (TGD pg. 7) This quote was packed with Lewis’
feelings about government criticism and criticism of the educational system. He
suggests that capitalism has ruined intellectual opportunities thus the
condition of the deteriorating public school system. Because our school system
was so poor, true genius was not being recognized.
Lewis
criticized different people and groups of people in this book. In the beginning
of the book Lewis described some of the characters, comparing their different
personalities. The first group he criticized was people who were intellectually
minded that believed to have no sin. However this is what Lewis said to them, “Do
you really think there are no sins of intellect? There is indeed, Dick. There
is hide-bound prejudice, and intellectual dishonesty, and timidity, and
stagnation. But honest opinions fearlessly followed--they are not sins.” (TGD
pg. 36). Another group he criticized was people who believe they did not need
God. In one interview a Ghost said, “I gone straight all my life. I don’t say I
was a religious man and I don’t say I had no faults, far from it. But I done my
best all my life, see? I done my best by everyone, that’s the sort of chap I
was.” (TGD pg. 27) This quote shows the attitude of one of the ghosts, he felt
like he was just as good as the next guy or better. “I forgave him as a
Christian, said the Ghost. But there are some things one can never forget.”
(TGD pg. 89) In other interviews such as this one individuals struggled with
forgiveness. The last group he criticized was people who were unforgiving to
themselves and others. Christ forgave the worlds inhabitants even before they
were born if they would accept His gift, so people need to be willing to
forgive themselves as well as others. Lewis specifically criticized George
McDonald, whose works and ways of thinking had a profound influence on him. In
the book, Lewis states that Holiness is a quality evident in McDonald’s books.
The Great
Divorce shows traces of being influenced by post-modernism. “We simply found
ourselves in contact with a certain current of ideas and plunged in to it
because it seemed modern and successful.” (TGD pg. 36-37) This quote discussed
ignoring the old ideas and jumping in to new ideas because they are new. “… and
all the time it was apparently haunted by the terror of discovery” (TGD pg.
47-48) This quote states that sometimes it is hard to discover new things
because it might prove the old things wrong.
Brilliantly,
Lewis produced The Great Divorce. It is a tale that has turned the
hearts of many to the Lord. He blended his critiques, compliments, and ideas
perfectly. Lewis used his intelligence and writing techniques to explain his
views of the after life.
Bibliography :
Lewis, C. S.Great divorce a dream. [San Fracisco]:
HarperSanFrancisco, 2001.
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